The body may absorb more fructose from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) than it does from sucrose, according to a new study published in the journal Metabolism.

Food industry consultant and cardiologist Dr. James Rippe says this was “not surprising”, although he disagreed with the findings of the study.

HFCS and sucrose have historically been considered to have nearly identical effects on the body. Numerous studies have linked the consumption of high levels of fructose alone with health risks – including high blood pressure, kidney disease and diabetes – but little fructose is consumed in this way.

It is most commonly consumed in conjunction with glucose as sucrose or HFCS. According to USDA figures, Americans consumed about 34.8lbs of HFCS per capita in 2010, with the type used in soft drinks composed of about 55% fructose, 42% glucose and 3% oligosaccharides, compared to about 47lbs of sucrose, made up of 50% fructose and 50% glucose.

The Corn Refiners Association (CRA), which represents the interests of the HFCS industry, has long defended the sweetener on the basis that “your body can’t tell the difference”, and uses this slogan to compare HFCS with sucrose in advertising campaigns.

This latest study, from researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the University of Florida, looked at how much fructose was absorbed into the bloodstream within the first few hours after consuming a soft drink sweetened with either HFCS or sucrose.

They found that there was a difference between the two, albeit slight.

Co-author in the study and chief of the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension at the University of Colorado, Dr. Richard Johnson, said: “Although both sweeteners are often considered the same in terms of their biological effects, this study demonstrates that there are subtle differences. Soft drinks containing HFCS result in slightly higher blood levels of fructose than sucrose-sweetened drinks."

Rippe told FoodNavigator-USA: “It’s not surprising that if one product contains slightly more fructose, that the levels [in the blood] at the end of the study are higher.”

Different fructose levels

The researchers looked at blood fructose levels in 40 study participants who consumed 24-oz. drinks sweetened with either HFCS or sucrose.

They found higher levels of fructose in the bloodstream of those who drank the HFCS-sweetened beverages, and said that this was likely due to the slightly higher amount of fructose in HFCS.

They also found higher levels of uric acid and higher systolic blood pressure soon after study participants had consumed the HFCS-containing drinks than with the sucrose-sweetened drinks. Previous research has suggested that fructose raises uric acid, and linked it to higher blood pressure.

The study authors hypothesized that these differences could be due to the makeup of the different sugars, as HFCS provides an immediate source of free fructose and glucose, whereas sucrose must first be broken down by sucrase, making it potentially less efficiently absorbed. However, they also acknowledged limitations to the study, including that much of the sucrose had already been broken down into fructose and glucose in the beverage prior to consumption.

“Results of this study cannot be used to form conclusions about the similarities or differences between HFCS and sucrose,” Rippe said in a CRA statement.

What next?

“Although the treatment effects on acute metabolic responses were small, the effects may increase with continued chronic exposure to these sweeteners,” the study’s authors wrote.

Johnson added, “The next step is for new studies to address whether the long-term effects of these two sweeteners are different.”

President of the CRA Audrae Erickson criticized the study for not using real-life diets as a model, and pointed to studies cited on the association’s website
suggesting that sucrose and HFCS are nutritionally and metabolically equivalent.

She also noted that co-author Dr. Richard Johnson had declared a conflict of interest, saying he has a patent application for inhibiting fructose as a potential way of treating sugar cravings.

Source: Metabolism

doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2011.09.01

“Effects of high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose on the pharmacokinetics of fructose and acute metabolic and hemodynamic responses in healthy subjects”

5 comments(Comments are now closed)

Metabolism is not the only issue

Regardless of how the body metabolizes HFCS, I avoid it like the plague because it almost certainly comes from GE corn.

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Posted by Lisa30 January 2012 | 18h432012-01-30T18:43:45Z

Does Audrae Erickson drink her talk?

Of course Audrae Erickson would have to degrade any research that brings out the truth about high fructose corn syrup--and health. She is the lobbyist for the CRA. But Dr. Rippe is speaking the truth-finally--that HFCS will produce more fructose in the blood--because it IS higher in fructose. Also, HFCS is a synthetic sugar.
My question is--Does Audrae Erickson (and Dr. Rippe, too) actually consume that artificial drink (from the first corn refiner's commercials) and give it to their children? And how many gallons do they consume in a year?
Do these people really drink their talk--or do they just expect the trusting citizens of this country to consume that poison?
Thanks for this article bringing attention to the latest research.

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Posted by Windy Daley of Texas29 January 2012 | 16h522012-01-29T16:52:15Z

fructose

How does the metabolic response compare to "simple" fructose (i.e not from HFCS)?
How does the rate of dissociation of sucrose (glucose + fructose) affect the metabolic rate of absorption in beverage?
This study is quite incomplete in my opinion.

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Posted by S Leclercq27 January 2012 | 14h512012-01-27T14:51:59Z

HFCS

It took me 68 years to figure out that HFCS and MSG spike my blood pressure. I determined it by a process of elimination. I got it down to canned pears and on the label, the only foreign ingredient was the HFCS

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Posted by jim turner27 January 2012 | 13h342012-01-27T13:34:26Z

HFCS and GMO

A high percentage of the HFCS used is GMO and even at this moment, or as a result of this study, no conclusive evidence proves the difference between sugar and HFCS, (neither of which are supportive to health and on the contrary are quite detrimental), a growing body of evidence (although not widely publicized through mainstream channels) demonstrates that GMO food products such as corn from which HFCS is derived, soy, and sugar are extremely harmful to humans and livestock. With regards to HFCS being the cause of diabetes, high blood pressure and the like, as naturopaths already know and instruct their patients accordingly, it is most certain that this will be proven conclusively with more investigation.

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